(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a series of novel ether amino functional silicone polymer compounds, which are substantive to various substrate surfaces. The compounds when applied provide softness, antistatic properties, lubrication, soil release, and hydrophobicity. The reaction of hydroxyl containing silicone polymers with a suitable aminating agent results in these novel compounds. When an alkoxylated hydroxy compound is reacted, a series of products ranging in water/oil solubility can be prepared. This ability to vary molecules allows outstanding flexibility in performance characteristics.
(2) Object of the Invention
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a series of novel ether amino functional silicone polymers. These compounds are substantive to the surface of a fibrous, plastic or cellulosic material.
It is another objective of the current invention to provide ether amino silicone polymers which can be formulated into textile and laundry compositions to give antistatic, softness and lubrication properties to the garments or fabric treated. The superior antistatic properties are an important benefit, since this is a major aspect of consumer perception of softness in consumer and industrial laundry applications. Lubrication has been a property which is purported to effect garment life. Application of the compounds of the invention can be from solvent, aqueous dispersion or solution, or applied neat in these processes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a series of products which have differing solubilities in water and organic solvents. This is achieved by selection of the hydroxyl silicon raw material. Hydroxy silicone compounds suitable as raw materials for this invention are well known in the art, and are sold under several trade names. The silicone polymer can contain varying amounts of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide or mixtures thereof. Introduction of the oxide into the molecule results in an inverse cloud point property. Inverse cloud point phenomenon are well known to those skilled in the art of nonionic surface active agents. The inverse cloud point is defined as a temperature above which the polymer has minimal solubility in water. The point at which the polymer has minimal water solubility is the same point at which it has maximum substantivity to a substrate.
(3) Description of the Arts and Practices
Silicone compounds have been known to be active at the surface of plastic, cellulosic and synthetic fibers as well as paper. They are nondurable lubricants and are very stable to oxidation, however, their high cost and lack of efficiency at low concentrations have made their acceptance in commercial products quite low.
The low efficiency and low durability of polydimethylsiloxane is due to the fact that it is very water insoluble. Simply, the silicone oil delivery to the surface of the fabric is by hydrophobic binding. Since the polydimethylsiloxane is not chemically bonded to the fiber, the lubrication effect is very transient and disappears with one washing. In addition, since there is no reaction of the polydimethylsiloxane to the surface of the fiber, a very low percentage of silicone is actually deposited. A large amount of the expensive silicone goes down the drain with the waste water.
Many attempts have been made to overcome these problems and get a truly substantive product, which deposits efficiently. One approach has been to use hydrosilation technology to make alkoxylated silicone polymers, used as raw materials in this invention. These materials do not have the substantivity desired to make them suitable for use as antistats, softeners and or soil release agents. Hydrosilation technology is known to those skilled in the art and is outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,856. These materials, prepared by the hydrosilation of a vinyl alkoxylated alcohol and a silanic hydrogen containing polymer, by virtue of their alkoxylation, exhibit a high cloud point classically seen in nonionics, which is a point were at some elevated temperature, the silicone polymer comes out of solution and becomes more substantive to the hydrophobic substrate. This approach allows for better efficiencies but does little if anything for long term substantivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,699 to Sterman issued May 12, 1970 teaches that epoxy compounds placed in the silicone backbone by hydrosilation can be cured onto certain fibers to give improved substantivity. The hydroxyl groups on the cellulosic fiber and the epoxy group in the silicone polymer react, resulting in a ether linkage. While this technique is a definite improvement over prior art compounds, their cost, efficiency and durability made their acceptance and commercial use minimal.
Amino silicone compounds are known in the art. Such compounds are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,188 to Blizzard, however Blizzard states (col. 1. line 32), "By amine functional silicone it is meant herein a polyorganosiloxane subsistent with at least one alkyl radical bearing at least one amino group. Said alkyl radical is bonded to a silicone atom by a Si-C bond. The term aminofunctional silicone as used herein is intended to encompass silicones having alkyl radicals bearing one or more amino group." Blizzard states that the amino group is alkyl (CmH2m)n-NH2 in col. 4 line 67.
Another reference is that of Pike Canadian Patent 606,697, which states in col. 1 lines 14-22 "This invention relates in general to the synthesis of organopolysiloxanes. More particularly, this invention is concerned with the production of end blocked organopolysiloxanes containing, among other siloxane units, aminoalkylalkylsiloxane or aminoalkylaryl siloxane units in which the amino group is linked to the silicone atom thereof through a polymethylene chain of at least three carbon atoms."
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,771 to Bailey, which is related to the above mentioned Canadian Patent, teaches the use of some aminoalkylalkylsiloxane or aminoalkylaryl siloxane units in which the amino group is linked to the silicone atom thereof through a polymethylene chain. This is clearly shown in the structure (Col. 1 lines 43-46) EQU Si--(CH2)aNH2
The compounds of the present invention are ether amines. The introduction of the ether function results in enhanced water solubility and better substantivity.